UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment helps companies realise their export potential
16 EXPORT POTENTIAL
UK Trade & Investment
Everybody wants to rule the world
UK Trade & Investment helps companies realise their export potential
Top Block party: International Trade Adviser, Elaine
Cameron, with one of the products she has helped to sell overseas
That’ s life: Mark receives his
UKTI International Business award from Ester Ranson – famous these days for terrible dance routines
UK Trade &
Investment isn’ t particularly well known, compared to other Government organisations, but, in many ways, it is just as important.
Its aim is to help UKbased companies succeed in the vibrant international marketplace. It is also keen to help more businesses run by people from ethnic minorities.
Any company that wants to trade in a different economy could do a great deal worse than to make UK Trade & Investment its first port of call.
There are many reasons why a business may choose to start trading overseas. Greater profits or transferring domestic success are good reasons but sometimes a service or product is simply more appropriate to another country. There have also been many instances when UK Trade & Investment has been approached by people who want to develop business links with their country of origin.
International Trade Advisers( ITA), who work on behalf of UK Trade & Investment, have decades of exporting knowledge and experience covering every economy in the world. Indeed, the list of countries it
specialises in would make Phileas Fogg’ s head spin. The tailored advice will prepare a company for developing in a new and exciting market by detailing it about the culture, language and nuances of how business is conducted in a certain economy.
Planning at this stage is vital – a gesture here and a gesture there could be the difference between striking a deal and leaving with nothing.
ITA Toyin Laketu said:“ We really want to help people from companies with international ambitions. Our impartial advice can improve marketing, recruitment and your understanding of different economies.”
“ It’ s really rewarding to see a company evolve and start to trade internationally, the best part of this job is seeing businesses realise their goals,” added ITA Elaine Cameron.
UK Trade & Investment also deliver specialised events aimed at educating businesspeople about opportunities in Europe and further afield, for example, China, India, Vietnam and America.
A typical event will often include presentations from UK-based companies that have actually succeeded in a particular marketplace.
For those companies who want to cover every base, UKTI-led trade visits are ideal.
There are so many advantages to travelling to a country in this way. For a start you will be with people who are in the same boat; allowing you to network, exchange ideas and, above all, share a vast pool of intelligence.
Many people only stop short of trading abroad because they assume that the process is plagued engage | uk ISSUE SIX 2008